2010 Suzuki Kizashi

Suzuki unveils its new sports-minded Kizashi midsize sedan.

Looks like and will have some company in the hotly contested midsize sedan category as Suzuki unveiled the Kizashi on the cliffs of Palos Verdes, California, today. The company known for its SUVs and compact cars no doubt faces an uphill battle, going against the likes of the and , but American Suzuki president, Kevin Saito, seems confident that the Kizashi will give Suzuki the car it needs to stay competitive in the U.S. market.

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"This car possesses all the virtues of cars costing thousands more, like the Acura TSX and . I'm confident that it performs on the road just as well, and you might even think the Kizashi is more sporty. Wait until you drive it, you'll see," he said.

The styling reflects its sportiness, with an aggressive face highlighted by a big grille and large canted headlights. The rear is equally attractive with large rectangular taillights and dual exhaust tips that are incorporated into the bottom of the rear bumper. The Kizashi is 183.1 in. long, 71.7 in. wide and 58.3 in. tall. Wheelbase is 106.3 in.

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The Kizashi will be available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with a 2.4-liter inline-4 supplying power. Although output has yet to be announced, we're sure it'll be in the 180- to 190-bhp range. The engine, codenamed J24B, is manufactured at Suzuki's plant in Sagara, Japan. It comes mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT transmission.

According to sources at , the Kizashi is firmer than its Honda and Toyota counterparts, emphasizing sport over comfort. That the Kizashi's chassis was fine-tuned at the Nürburgring should serve as an indication of how it will perform on mountain roads. No prices have yet to be announced, but we're expecting it to be around $20,000.